Structured and short answer questions

Questions with 1, 2, 3 or 4 marks usually start with command words. If a question starts with the command word 'state', 'give', 'name' or 'write down', it needs a short answer only. This type of question can often be answered with one word or phrase.

It is important to state, give, name or write down the number of things that the question asks for. If you write down fewer, you cannot get all the marks. If you write down more, and one is wrong, you might lose a mark.

Some questions start with the command words 'describe', 'explain' or 'compare'. These are often worth two or more marks:

Describe means you should recall facts, events or processes accurately. You might need to give an account of what something looked like, or what happened.
Explain means you need to make something clear, or state the reasons for something happening. The points in the answer must be linked together. The answer must not be a list of reasons. All the points must be relevant to the question.
Compare means you need to describe similarities and differences between things. If you are asked to compare X and Y, write down something about X and something about Y, and give a comparison. Do not just write about X only or Y only.

More complex structured questions will be worth three or four marks. They include questions with complex descriptions and explanations, and questions in which you need to compare things.

Some of the answers are shown here as bullet points. This is to show clearly how a mark can be obtained. However, do not use bullet points in your answers - the points must be linked together logically.

These questions have been written by Bitesize consultants as suggestions to the types of questions that may appear in an exam paper.

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Understanding the different command words in your science GCSE exams.

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Sample question 1 - Foundation

Question

Why is aluminium positioned in group 3 of the periodic table? [1 mark]

Sample question 2 - Foundation

Question

A student carries out an experiment to determine the melting point of a waxy solid. She heats a sample until it melts, then measures and records its temperature as it cools down.

Explain how the student could use her results to decide whether the waxy solid is a pure substance or a mixture. [4 marks]

Sample question 3 - Higher

Question

Use data from table 1 to explain why ethanol and water can be separated using fractional distillation. [3 marks]

Table 1

Substance	Boiling point
Ethanol	78°C
Water	100°C

Substance	Ethanol
Boiling point	78°C

Substance	Water
Boiling point	100°C

Sample question 4 - Higher

Question

Use data from table 2 to choose two atoms that are different isotopes of the same element. Explain your choice. [2 marks]

Table 2

Atom	No of protons	No of neutrons	No of electrons
V	6	6	6
W	17	18	18
X	17	18	17
Y	8	8	8
Z	6	8	6

Atom	V
No of protons	6
No of neutrons	6
No of electrons	6

Atom	W
No of protons	17
No of neutrons	18
No of electrons	18

Atom	X
No of protons	17
No of neutrons	18
No of electrons	17

Atom	Y
No of protons	8
No of neutrons	8
No of electrons	8

Atom	Z
No of protons	6
No of neutrons	8
No of electrons	6

Sample exam questions - atomic structure and the periodic table - AQAStructured and short answer questions